


Turning Page

by ALittleWren



Category: Neighbours (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24983494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALittleWren/pseuds/ALittleWren
Summary: A series of one shots focussing on Paul and Terese's relationship throughout the years.
Relationships: Paul Robinson/Terese Willis
Comments: 58
Kudos: 28





	1. Meeting (a)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!  
> This is the first chapter of a series of one shots, and random little snippets, focussing on Terese and Paul's relationship over the years. The title of this work is taken from the title of a song by Sleeping at Last, that always makes me think of Paul and Terese.  
> This chapter is set in episode 6642, which features Terese's first appearance and obviously Paul and Terese's first meeting.

Terese sat at the table in the complex she’d soon be running waiting for Paul to return from his phone call.  
Now, there was an interesting man. She’d heard of him, of course, everyone who worked for Lassiter’s knew of his reputation, and Gaby had given her a rather _colourful _account of the man’s character from when they’d previously crossed paths. But despite this, he intrigued her, he was somehow exactly like she’d imagined he’d be and completely different at the same time.  
He’d been much friendlier than she’d thought he would she’d imagined he’d be rather standoffish at the idea of someone new being flown in to rescue his hotel- although it was pretty clear he didn’t know she’d already been offered the job, so who knows what sort of angle he was trying to play. She couldn’t imagine he’d like finding out that Lucy had gone over his head, one of her assumptions that had been bang on the money was the he was a control freak.  
Her other assumption that he enjoyed playing games with people also seemed to be correct- he was clearly trying to set something up between her and that Lauren woman from the café. Terese wasn’t too worried about that though, whatever he was planning would soon come out, and when it did, well, she was more than a match for Paul Robinson, and he’d learn that soon enough.  
What she hadn’t expected, though, was to form an instant connection with her new colleague. It was strange, like they’d just instantly clicked. More than once today that’d finished each other’s sentences or answered one’s questions before the other had even asked it. It was almost like they were on the same wavelength, like their brains worked in the same way. That could only be a good thing, Terese thought, this kind of synchronicity could make them a formidable team (or formidable enemies), and they needed to trust each other if she was going to stand any chance of getting Paul of this mess he was in.  
At that point, the man in question returned and sat down opposite her, clearly prepared to bring this ‘interview’ to a close.  
“Now, there’s two things I look for in a manager:” He said, “Loyalty, dedication and excellence. Are you that person?”  
Terese paused slightly to nod in thanks to the waiter delivering them their coffees before fixing her gaze steadily on Paul’s  
“In a year’s time, you’ll wonder what you ever did without me.”  
He looked doubtful- clearly he’d underestimated her. Terese would make sure he rectified that mistake soon enough. Nevertheless, he held out his hand for her to shake.  
“Well, in that case, congratulations, the job is yours.” Oh dear, this was going to be awkward.  
Terese took his, hand, but kept her gaze on the table, desperately trying not to get involved in whatever sibling politics Paul and Lucy had going on. Paul noticed immediately, though. Apparently, he read her pretty well already.  
“Thought you might have been a little happier than that.”  
“Look, Paul, this is really awkward” it was only at this point that Terese realised she was still holding his hand, and quickly let it go, placing it back on the table. “Lucy already offered me the position.”  
The look on his face was difficult to read, equal parts annoyed, confused, and was that hurt? Terse wasn’t sure, and it vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.  
“When?”  
“Last night. She emailed through the deal.” Paul looked away with a sigh- yes, he was definitely annoyed.  
“This is _my _hotel, _I _decide who’s hired and who’s fired.” Definitely a control freak too. “I’ve just wasted hours of my time.”__  
That was a little rude, but Terese decided the peace-making route was a better option than taking offence.  
“No, not at all, it gave me a chance to get to know you, to see if we’d get along.”  
He still seemed annoyed.  
“Relax,” she said, placing her hand on his arm without even thinking “I was really impressed.” He smiled at her briefly, letting her know she was out of hot water, as she carried on.  
“I think we’re going to make a great team.”____


	2. Meeting (b)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul and Terese's first meeting from episode 6642, this time from Paul's perspective This is intended as a companion to the previous chapter. x

Paul hung up from his phone call and made his way back outside towards the table where he’d left his prospective new manager. Well, new manager. He’d already made up his mind to hire her, but he wasn’t going to let her know that just yet. As he rounded the corner, Terese came into his line of sight and he paused for a few moments to observe her.

She was sat at their table watching the goings-on in the complex. It was very subtle, but he could see her taking in every single detail of her potential new workplace. Eventually, her gaze landed on something across the complex out of Paul’s sight. She contemplated it for a moment, before narrowing her eyes in apparent disapproval and returning her gaze to the table, seemingly storing the thought for later. Paul bristled, suddenly feeling territorial at the thought of somebody coming into _his _hotel and picking it apart. Begrudgingly, though, he conceded that that was probably what was needed if Lassiter’s was to be restored to its former glory. And today had shown him that Terese had just the kind of sharp eye required to do that.__

__It was the only thing Paul had actually been able to figure out about this woman; she’d been fairly obtuse, and frustratingly difficult to read. But then, he figured, she’s spent the early years of her career with Gaby Willis, and the two women were family, no doubt Terese had been told to keep her guard up._ _

__He wasn’t used to not being able to figure people out- it was very annoying. And if he was going to work with this woman, he needed to know how easy it was going to be to outmanoeuvre her. He needed someone who could be manipulated into going along with his ideas, but at the same time, they needed to put up a bit of a fight otherwise he’d be bored- it was a very fine line. If nothing else, he’d be able to stir up some drama between Terese and Lauren, that was something to look forward to at least._ _

__Paul had decided yesterday, that he wasn’t going to like Terese, but despite himself, he’d found himself rather enjoying her company. She seemed to have some idea of what she was doing (which was a step up from the last manager) and he’d liked talking to someone who got was he was trying to say, sometimes before he’d even said it. That was a rarity in Paul’s life, he typically spent months (or even years) repeatedly banging his head up against a brick wall before someone clued into how his brain worked. He couldn’t remember anyone ever coming in and instantly understanding him the way Terese had done today. It was nice, if a little disconcerting- he liked to maintain an air of mystery._ _

__Pulling his thoughts back to the task in hand, he made his way over to the table and sat down opposite Terese, preparing to end the interview.  
“Now, there’s three things I look for in a manager,” he said “loyalty, dedication and excellence. Are you that person?”  
She didn’t respond directly to his question, instead thanking the waiter for their coffees before saying “In a year’s time you’ll wonder what you ever did without me.”  
That seemed unlikely, he simply didn’t rely on other people like that. Nonetheless, Paul had to admire her tenacity. He held out his hand for her to shake.  
“In that case, congratulations, the job is yours.”  
She duly took his hand, but there was something in her expression that told him something wasn’t quite right.  
“Thought you might have been a little happier than that.”  
“Look, Paul, this is really awkward” Terese relinquished her grip on his hand- Paul hadn’t even realised their hands were still clasped together. “Lucy already offered me the position.”_ _

__What?_ _

__Annoyance bubbled to the surface at the thought of his little sister making decisions behind his back. He was also a little hurt. Did Lucy really think he was that incapable? He pushed the thought down quickly when he noticed Terese’s ever-so-perceptive eyes scanning his face.  
“When?” he demanded.  
“Last night. She emailed through the deal.”  
That territorial feeling re-emerged.  
“This is _my _hotel. I decide who’s hired and who’s fired.”  
At that point he realised that he’d cleared his entire schedule for the day and done the whole ‘big boss’ routine for no reason whatsoever.  
“I’ve just wasted hours of my time.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, luckily Terese didn’t seem too offended.  
“No, not at all.” She reassured him “It gave me a chance to get to know you, to see if we’d get along.”  
The realisation that she’d basically spent the day sussing him out didn’t make him feel better.  
“Relax, I was really impressed.” She’d placed her hand on his arm as he’d said that, and Paul felt his annoyance instantly seep away at her touch. Suddenly much calmer, he conceded that she probably hadn’t asked to be dragged into all this and shot her brief smile, hoping she’d recognise it as an apology. She did, smiling back at him slightly, before carrying on:  
“I think we’re going to make a great team.”  
Well, Paul thought to himself, only time will tell.___ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Feedback is always appreciated. x


	3. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the last scene in episode I 8039 (I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about 😉). I've always wondered what was going on in Paul's head during that scene.

“When Leo proposed, and I saw you, I couldn’t stop thinking about us.”  
Paul desperately reminded himself to breath as Terese’s hand made its way to the back of his neck, the other taking up residence on the lapel of his suit jacket. She was so close; her eyes locked onto his, her fingers running through his hair, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through his body. He so desperately wanted to close the small gap between them, to kiss her and melt into her touch. But then the image of her and Leo together invaded his mind, swiftly followed by the devastated look on Leo’s face this afternoon when Terese had ended things.  
He couldn’t do this to his son.  
“No, Terese, don’t do this, I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.” He moved her hands away from him, desperately trying to forget that long-treasured memory of how perfectly her hands fit into his. He moved towards the door, flung it open, ignoring Terese as she called his name, making his way to the elevator.  
His head was spinning.  
Part of him was thrilled. Terese had feelings for him! And it wasn’t some kind of imaginary scenario he’d conjured up, or his mind playing tricks on him. She had actually stood in front of him, looked him in the eye and admitted as much. _Maybe I couldn’t get past our history. Yours and mine. _  
__ Another part of him was devastated. Nothing could come of this. After all these years, all this time he’d spent wanting to be with her, all the pain and heartache they’d caused each other, Terese had finally confessed her feelings at the one time nothing could come of it. They just couldn’t do that to Leo, it would be so unfair. Leo loved Terese. For Paul to swoop in now would just be cruel. His son’s feelings had to come first. Paul had spent far too long being apart from him; he didn’t want to lose any more time.  
But he’d also spent too long being apart from Terese, Paul thought sadly, thinking back over the month and years they’d already lost. Here they had a chance to make up some of that time.  
Paul paused in his escape mission, frustrated as his head and his heart waged war with one another.  
Leo was heartbroken. His dad finding happiness with the very woman who’d just broken his heart would only devastate him further. He’d be so hurt. He might even feel as though Paul and Terese had spent the last few months lying to him about their feelings, or worse, might think that there’d been something going on between them behind his back. Paul couldn’t risk ruining his relationship with his son. He’d made so many mistakes that their relationship was already so fragile, and he wasn’t sure it could take any more strain. His son had to come first. A good parent would put their child first. A good parent would ignore their own feelings to protect their child’s.  
But then Paul’s mind filled with memories of him and Terese. Devastating events, tender trusting moments, horrendous arguments, quiet companionship and those tiny insignificant moments that she’d probably forgotten, but that he’d kept and treasured all this time. He _loved_ her. He _wanted_ her. He _needed_ her.  
_I don’t think I could live in this world if you weren’t in it_.

His heart won.

Before he even really knew what he was doing, he was striding back to the door of the office, and without hesitating, he flung open the door once again.


	4. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In honour of Paul and Terese's engagement anniversary, I've always wondered how Paul just happened to have an engagement ringing his pocket during his seemingly completely spontaneous proposal. I'm not really sure exactly when this chapter is set, but I guess it fits in anywhere in the few weeks before Harlow's arrival.

Paul had never understood people who made impulse purchases. He’d met people who’d bought all manner of expensive and ridiculous things, shrugging it off with “oh, it was an impulse buy”. He’d always thought it was a show of weakness, that it demonstrated a lack of self-control. That was until last week, when he’d gone into the city for a meeting with his stockbroker that morning and returned that afternoon with an engagement ring.

He’d been killing time before his meeting when he’d spied it in the jeweller’s window and had immediately been able to picture Terese sat across from him at dinner, that ring on her left hand, glistening as it caught the light. He’d gone in and bought it there and then.

He and Terese had discussed marriage a couple of times, and they both knew that at some point they’d get married. But the plan had been to wait a while, maybe even a few years, before that happened. Besides, Paul had been perfectly content to live in the happy little bubble he and Terese had created for themselves, he hadn't felt the need to change things from how they were. But then Vance had come along and the bubble had well and truly burst, and in that moment everything had changed. Their entire relationship had felt different after that.

At first, Paul had thought it was a bad thing, but then he’d seen that ring in the shop window and everything had fallen into place. Their relationship had changed for the better, not the other way around. 

Terese’s rather clumsy proposal/apology (a rare misstep for her it had to be said) had forced them both to put their cards on the table and figure out exactly what they wanted. Suddenly they weren’t a relatively new couple (at least officially) still exploring their relationship and deciding where it could go, but committed long-term partners, trying to put things back together again after an argument.

Much as Paul hated to admit it, the Vance situation had probably ended up being a good thing. He and Terese had needed to learn to argue but find their way back to one another afterwards. And he had needed to be reminded that Terese was as flawed and capable of making mistakes as he was-although there would probably always be a part of him that refused to accept that she was anything other than perfect. In committing to fix that mess they’d found themselves in, they’d also committed to building a lasting and (hopefully) life-long partnership.

Now he just needed to figure out how to ask her the question.

Paul turned to the ring box in his hand and sighed, flipping it open to inspect its contents. Most people decided they were going to propose, decided _how_ they were going to propose, and _then_ bought the ring. He, on the other hand, had bought the ring, only realised on his way out of the shop that that meant he was going to propose and, even a week later, he still had no idea how he was actually going to ask her.

He’d considered asking his kids for help but then decided against it. As much as he knew they supported his relationship with Terese he wasn’t sure they completely _got_ how their relationship worked. And the only aspect of this proposal he was sure of was that is had to be personal.

For that same reason, he’d immediately discounted the idea of taking her out to dinner at a nice restaurant and proposing there. He’d seen way too many of those proposals at Lassiter’s to think that was an original idea. Paul’s experience at Lassiter’s also meant he knew that Terese couldn’t think of anything worse than a public proposal.

He could hire out the Terrace, that would be private. But Terese had built very close relationships with her senior members of staff, she knew about everything that went on in that hotel, there was no way he’d be able to get anything past her. Also, wasn’t that where Brad and Lauren had gotten engaged? And Terese and Gary? No, the Terrace was definitely best avoided.

He could always organise a couple of days away for just the two of them, in a boutique hotel or a house out in the country somewhere. Maybe he could take her out for a picnic to a secluded spot at a beach or winery or forest or something and propose there. But the chances of her agreeing to an apparently spontaneous trip away with no questions asked were slim to non-existent. Terese was too naturally curious for surprises.

Maybe be was just trying too hard? After all, if he thought back over his favourite memories with Terese, none of them were big romantic gestures. They’d had plenty of big romantic moments definitely, but they’d always been the result of them just following their feelings, doing what felt right to them in the moment. Maybe that was his problem: he was trying to force a major moment in a relationship that came naturally to him. Maybe, instead of trying to _make_ that moment happen, he needed to _let_ it happen.

Paul snapped the ring box shut, putting it back in the pocket of his suit jacket. It had lived there ever since he bought it and would have to live there a little longer. That way, he knew he’d always have it with him, should the perfect moment he’d been looking for arise. Because the perfect moment would arise eventually, of that Paul was sure. Just as he was sure that, when the perfect moment came, just like so many things in his relationship with Terese, he wouldn’t have to think about it, he’d just know it was right.


	5. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In honour of Terese's birthday, which is either on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th August (The two episodes focussing on her birthday in 2018 aired on the 2nd and 3rd, but it was in Terese's diary in episode 7895 as being the 4th). I was going to post this tomorrow, but having seen the spoilers for next week, some people might be in need of some mindless fluff. ❤️

Terese stirred gently from her sleep, at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. She sighed as her senses gradually returned to her, accompanied by a dull throbbing pain in her head. She winced as she opened her eyes and the daylight flooding into the room transformed that dull throbbing into a stabbing pain in her temples. At least the room had stopped spinning, that was a win.

Of all the ways to spend your birthday, she thought to herself.

It wasn't like she'd had any plans- she wasn’t the kind of person who liked big birthday parties or anything like that, and since she’d lost Josh, birthdays had become more of a reminder of how much time she’d spent without him than a cause for celebration- but still. She could have at least had a nice breakfast with her family, followed by a call with her daughters, and then spent the rest of the day doing whatever it was that Paul had been trying (and failing) to plan so secretly.

Instead she had woken up with the mother of all migraines and had been asleep for most of the day.

She heard the bedroom door open, accompanied by the familiar sound of her husband’s footsteps, and soon enough, Paul appeared in her line of sight. Realising she was finally awake, he smiled gently at her, before moving to the bed and laying down next to her, automatically wrapping her up in his arms as he did, before placing a kiss in her hair.

“You feeling any better?” He asked quietly.

“A little,” she responded, “My head still hurts.”

He didn’t say anything else, instead allowing his hand to rest in her hair, his thumb moving gently back and forth across her temple. Terese immediately felt herself relax, and the pain in her head lessen slightly.

This was the Paul she wished others could get the chance to meet. She knew most people didn’t really understand their relationship. She also knew that some people wondered why she’d married him the first place. But Terese reckoned if people saw moments like this, they’d understand. They’d see how gentle Paul was, how tenderly he could treat people, how well he looked after them.

Nobody else would ever see this though. This side of her husband was reserved for only a select group of people, and of that small group, it was really only her who was privileged enough to see this side regularly.

She loved moments like this. Moments when she could be the sole recipient of all this love and tenderness and compassion her husband kept hidden away from the rest of the world. Although she’d probably love this particular moment even more if she didn’t feel as though her head was in a vice.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they lay together, simply enjoying the closeness, content in each other’s company, until eventually, Paul broke the silence.

“Not quite how you’d imagined spending your birthday is it?”

She couldn’t disagree with that point.

“It’s a shame we had to miss out on whatever it was you were planning.”

He feigned ignorance, “What makes you think I was planning anything?”

“You’re not as subtle as you think you are.”

“Guess I’ll have to be more careful next time,” he said, apparently to himself, “Besides, everything will still be there tomorrow, or next week, or whenever you’re feeling better.”

“I didn’t ruin your plans then?” She asked.

“Darling, there is very little in this world you could ever ruin for me,” he reassured her, “particularly when it was  _ your  _ birthday that got disrupted.”

He paused for a second, thinking.

“You know I think we still have enough time to salvage today.”

That seemed doubtful “Really?” she asked.

“Absolutely.” He said with complete confidence “I can go and find you the finest bowl of soup La Restaurant de la- What’s 22 in French?”

“Vingt-Deux”

“Thank you- the finest bowl of soup La Restaurant de la Vingt-Deux had to offer, alongside a beautifully crafted glass of water, complete with painkillers, and then we can spend the rest of the day here doing absolutely nothing, except maybe opening those presents you weren’t able to open this morning.”

She smiled at the prospect, but then remembered the pile of paperwork sat downstairs “You don’t have any work to do?”

“Nothing that’s more important than enjoying the company of my very beautiful, if slightly poorly wife on her birthday.”

“Well then, that sounds perfect.”

Paul disentangled himself from her and rose from the bed to head downstairs, but paused, before turning around and placing a gentle kiss to Terese’s temple.

“Happy birthday, darling.”


	6. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on spoilers for Monday and Tuesday's episodes (8426 and 8427/ 31st August and 1st September if your avoiding spoilers for UK pace), Paul takes some time to think about how his recent actions have been affecting Terese.  
> Contains discussions of alcoholism and mental health and a brief reference to bulimia.  
> It's a little rambly and will probably be completely irrelevant after the episodes actually air, but this is how I'd like things to go, largely because I think Terese's mental health is something that should more extensively explored in the show. x

Paul sighed as he closed the bedroom door behind him. It was late, and he was exhausted, but he had spent the last few hours avoiding going to bed. Usually, when he stayed up this late, it was because he’d been caught up in work, and he’d come up here to find his wife sleeping peacefully. He’d then spend the next ten minutes trying not to wake her up as he got ready for bed, whilst somehow managing to know over every bottle and tube in their bathroom before slipping under the covers next to her. If he’d been particularly successful in his impromptu game of bathroom bottle bowling, Terese would stir slightly and subconsciously nestle into him with a contented sigh, her head resting on his chest, her hand finding his, before drifting back off to sleep.

Usually, he didn’t try to fall asleep immediately, instead he’d lay there for a while watching Terese as she slept. She always looked so serene and calm, that he could feel his stress and worries melt away just watching her. That was on the nights he actually see her face. For some reason, Terese always slept with her hands in front of her face, some nights to the point where her face was completely obscured, and she looked like she was playing a game of peekaboo. This endearing habit only made Paul love her more. So he always took a few minutes to lay quietly beside her, and remind himself how privileged he was that Terese had let him into these rare moments of vulnerability.

None of these things would happen tonight though, nor would they tomorrow night, or the night after that. Because tonight the bed was empty and would be until Terese decided she was ready to come back, although when that would be God only knows.

With hindsight, he should have noticed how bad things were getting, how much Terese had been struggling. Physically, she’d been present, but mentally she’d hard to reach for a while now. The emotional and physical closeness that was such an integral part of their marriage had eroded slowly over the last few months. The small touches they gave each other throughout the day had disappeared, the flirtatious banter had given way to constant arguing and the nights spent curled up in bed together talking about their dreams for the future had been replaced with silence. It was almost as though someone had put a barrier between them. And that someone had been him.

Why did he keep doing this? He only wanted to protect his business and his family, first from Pierce and then from Jenna. But somehow, he always went about it the wrong way, he always took it too far. And this time he’d ended up hurting the person he cared about most in the world. What’s worse, if Terese hadn’t left, he probably wouldn’t have even noticed how much he was hurting her, and how exhausted she was from getting constantly stuck in the middle of these wars he kept waging. Why hadn’t he noticed? Why couldn’t he stop thinking about himself for long enough to think about how it was affecting her?

He could fix this. He needed to fix this. He wouldn’t-no he couldn’t let this marriage fail. At some point along the way, Terese had become the point around which his entire world revolved. He’d had many _many_ relationships in his time, but never had he been as reliant on someone as he was on her. He probably relied on her far more than she relied on him.

The past year had thrown up more than its fair share of challenges: first the ex-wives conspiracy, then the hidden camera scandal, David’s accident, Robert, the Finn saga, Prue’s death. Only once had Terese needed his help, and even then, he had failed. He’d been so devastated by what was happening to David, that Terese hadn’t felt able to lean on him, and instead sought Susan’s help, working through her relapse quietly and privately so that she could be there to support him. Terese had borne the brunt of every challenge he’d faced in the last year. No matter what she was going through, no matter what she was struggling with, she was always there by his side, strong and steadfast, to hold him up and put him back together when he crumbled.

Paul had gotten so used to that strength, that he’d forgotten how fragile Terese was. She had a backbone of pure steel, make no mistake, but at her heart, his wife was a damaged and sensitive soul that life hadn’t been particularly kind to. He’d neglected that and, even worse, he’d hurt her.

In his mind, Terese and Jenna were such different people that it was inconceivable they could ever have anything in common. It just never occurred to him that when he said all those things about Jenna, he was basically saying the same things about Terese. In his annoyance and belief that Terese was just doing this to get back and him whilst undoing all his efforts to protect Emmett and David, he’d overlooked the fact that Terese was just trying to give Jenna the opportunity she’d been given. Once upon a time, Jenna was exactly the kind of person everyone thought Terese would turn out to be. Instead, Terese had proven them all wrong. With hard work, dedication and perseverance, she’d clambered up to the top, turning herself into the accomplished businesswoman she was today. It was an impressive accomplishment, and she wanted to use her success to help others. And all Paul had done was throw it back in her face.

Though he hated to admit it, alcoholism wasn’t something he understood. He just couldn’t comprehend how someone could lose control of themselves to that extent; how they could become so reliant on a substance that they felt they just couldn’t function without it. 

It made no sense to him; it went against his belief that people should be completely in control of themselves at all times. It also went against everything he knew about Terese. She had an almost pathological need to be in control, for everything to be in order and to make sense. For her to be so reliant on alcohol and so unable to control how much she drank seemed completely contradictory.

Or did it? Paul thought, some of the dots connecting in his head. Outwardly, Terese was the image of the kind of togetherness most people could only aspire to. But it was just an act; a very convincing disguise to mask the fact that underneath lay a troubled soul who found life difficult to cope with. Perhaps he’d been wrong, maybe a reliance on alcohol wasn’t the result of a lack of control. In Terese’s case at least, maybe her use of alcohol, her excessive work hours, her history with bulimia, maybe they were all just attempts by her to get control of the dark and difficult thoughts that plagued her? Maybe the only way she thought she could stop those spiralling thoughts was to block them out? Or maybe blocking them out was the only way she could think of to get a brief reprieve from the emotional exhaustion of constantly having to live with thoughts and events that she just couldn’t cope with?

Paul sat down on the bed and looked over at the pictures of him and Terese that lived on his bedside table. His eyes were immediately drawn to the one that had been taken on their honeymoon. He studied his wife’s features, her contented infectious smile, those dimples, and those beautiful sparkling eyes of hers that gave away just how happy she was. He hadn’t seen any of those things lately, and it was his fault.

He’d make it right though; he could fix this. He’d leave her in peace to enjoy her time with her daughters, and then when she got back, he’d sit down with her and let her talk, tell him how she’d been feeling and what he could do to help her. And he’d listen, and he wouldn’t try to defend or explain himself, but instead he’d take what she said and turn it into actions. And then he’d tell her how much he loved her, how honoured he felt that she’d let him into her life as a lover, as a best friend, as a life partner, and how she was his entire world.

He’d fix this and Terese would smile again, and he’d get his wife back and things would be right again. All he had to do was wait for her to come back.

Paul rose from the bed, putting off sleep for a little longer, in favour of a long hot shower. He felt a little lighter now, having thought things through, but still, his heart felt heavy at the prospect of all these upcoming nights spent sleeping alone in an empty bed.


	7. Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a random little ramble, that's completely unrelated to anything happening in the show at the moment. x

“Good morning, darling,” Paul said as he entered the kitchen, pressing a kiss to the back of Terese’s head as he passed her on his way the fridge. She smiled in response to the word that had become so familiar over the last year and a half.

_Darling_.

Terms of endearments were slightly new to her. She used them all the time when talking to other people, but nobody had ever used them when speaking to her. She was always Terese, or Tini, to her family. She’d been born a little earlier than anticipated, so was a lot smaller than most babies, and Nick had christened her Tini in honour of that. The name had stuck, and both her brother and father had called her Tini or Tinitsa throughout her childhood. Never her mother, though. Her mother disapproved of nicknames.

So, it was rather strange to her when she and Paul had gotten together, and he’d almost immediately started calling her darling. These days, she’d gotten used to it- as a matter of fact, if she had a dollar for every time Paul had called her darling, she’d have enough money to buy Pierce’s share of Lassiter’s and make her life a lot easier. She wasn’t annoyed by it, though. She actually rather liked it; it was a very Paul way of showing affection.

It hadn’t started out that way though.

The first time Paul had called Terese darling, he’d done so with a raised eyebrow and a hint of sarcasm. 

They’d been at a business event and someone had mistaken her for being Paul’s wife. It wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. The way they bounced off each other, their easy familiarity and their near-constant bickering often led people to assume they were married- and they’d long given up correcting people (on the unspoken agreement that Brad would never know). With time, it had become an essential part of their negotiating tactics. Paul spent most of these events laying down the groundwork whilst she played the dutiful, if clueless businessman’s wife. She’d then go in for the kill in a carefully orchestrated and lethally effective sneak attack. It also had the added bonus that the men at these events left her alone. Even the sleaziest of businessmen knew that Paul Robinson’s wife was off-limits.

It just so happened that at this particular event the very businessman they were hoping to strike a deal with had asked Paul to introduce him to his “very lovely wife”. And that was how, a few minutes later, Paul had turned to Terese, eyebrow raised and a conspiratorial smile on his face, and asked

“would you get us some drinks, _DARLING?”_

The second time had been an accident. Paul had been staying in Terese’s spare room, and that easy familiarity had turned in to an easy domesticity that thrilled and unnerved both of them in equal measure. Both of them knew that there was more to their connection than just friendship, both of them knew that their feelings were much deeper than either of them were saying- it was just that they weren’t quite able to pluck up the courage to admit that openly.

In the end, Paul’s subconscious had been the thing that gave it away. After a pleasant family dinner and an evening playing cards, Terese had left him clearing up the kitchen, declaring that she was going to bed. Paul had replied automatically and seemingly without giving it a moment’s thought

“Good night, darling.”

The third time had been much more intentional and meaningful. They were curled up together on the couch in the penthouse one evening not long after they’d _finally_ officially gotten together- neither saying anything, both content to just be together and enjoy one another’s company. Paul had sighed contentedly, before pressing a tender kiss to her hair and saying

“I love you, darling.”

At this point, Terese had lost count of the number of times Paul had used that word, or the number of times she’d used it herself. He’d used it in all manner of situations, romantic ones, domestic ones, occasionally professional ones. When they were content in their own little bubble, surrounded by family, or attempting to disagree with each other politely.

But no matter what tone Paul that word, Terese always felt a little jolt of happiness run through her. Because that word meant so much more than just being a term of endearment. When Paul called darling was also saying “you mean the world to me”, “I trust you”, “I enjoy having you here with me” and most importantly, he was also saying

“I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Feedback is always appreciated! x


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